Catering Melbourne Blog

Mexican Beef Burrito

Ingredients:

1kg ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves
1/2 diced red capsicum
1/2 diced medium onion
flour tortillas

Method:

In a sauce pan add ground beef, salt, chili powder, garlic, cumin, paprika. Enough water to cover meat. Bring to a boil. Simmer over medium low heat about an hour.

Then add 1/2 medium chopped onion, 1/2 medium chopped capsicum continue cooking 20 or 30 more minutes.

Heat flour tortilla on hot griddle

Spoon about 2 or 3 tablespoons of beef evenly down center of each tortilla; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Roll up tortilla.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with sour cream and salsa, if desired. Optional: Top each serving with lettuce, tomato, and avocado.

Lebanese Green Flat Beans & Meat - Lubya

Ingredients:

1 kg green flat beans, string, snip off the ends, snip each into two, wash and drain
750 g stew lamb cutlets or beef stew steak in cubes
1/2 tspn ground pepper
2 tbls shortening or butter
1 tspn salt
3 cups water

Method:

Fry meat with shortening over medium heat till brown. Season.

Stir in green beans for 15 minutes on low heat.

Add water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat until boiling.

Lower heat. Continue cooking until beans are tender.

Serve hot accompanied by cooked rice.

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 4-6

Hits and Tips:

1/4 white onions and peel the layers and serve raw on side for a delicious compliment

Beef Steaks with Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lean beef sirloin, rib-eye, rump, or fillet steaks

15-30ml olive oil)

salt and pepper

60ml good, aged balsamic vinegar

50g butter, cubed

fresh chives, to garnish, optional

Method:

Heat the oil in a medium non-stick pan. Season the steaks and cook according to preference. Remove the steaks from the pan and keep warm.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar and whisk in the butter, a little at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy.

Arrange the steaks on a plate, garnish with chives, if used, and serve with the sauce, new potatoes or chip and seasonal vegetables.

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 2

Ingredients:

450g (lean minced beef

1 small onion, peeled and grated

1tsp garlic salt

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano or marjoram

1tbsp tabasco or sweet chilli sauce

25-50g fresh white breadcrumbs

50g blue cheese, crumbled, or grated mozzarella cheese

1 egg, beaten

15ml sunflower oil
Method:

Place the beef in a large bowl and add the onion, garlic salt, seasoning, herbs, Tabasco or sweet chilli sauce, breadcrumbs and blue or mozzarella cheese.

Stir in the egg. Mix together thoroughly, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Using damp hands shape the mixture into 4-6 evenly sized burgers.

Brush the burgers with a little oil and cook on a prepared barbecue or preheated moderate grill for 5-8 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

Serve the burgers on rolls of your choice with salad leaves and serve with tomato sauce or relish and potato wedges sprinkled with grated cheese.

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

pastry

8 sheets ready prepared & rolled shortcrust pastry
2 sheets ready prepared and rolled puff pastry
1 tablespoon milk
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

filling:
2 teaspoons oil
1 onion, chopped
1 kg minced beef
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons water

Method:

To make the filling heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add oil and onion and cook until soft. Add mince and cook until brown. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
Mix cornflour and water to a paste and stir into meat mixture. Stir until mixture boils and thickens then place in a bowl and leave to cool.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees cut 8 x 15cm circles (cut round a small plate or saucer) from the shortcrust pastry and line 8 x 8cm (base measurement) pie dishes. Spoon the filling into the pastry shells, brush pastry edges with milk, top with 8 x 11cm circles of the puff pastry and press the edges to seal. Brush the tops with beaten egg yolk and make a slit in the top of each pie.

Bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve hot with tomato sauce

Serving Suggestions:

Makes 8 Pies

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, halved
2 onions, finely chopped
500gm stewing steak, cubed
2 sweet corns cut into 1-inch slices
250g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
250g potatoes, peeled and cubed
600ml beef stock
250glong grain rice
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
2 red capsicums
Method:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened and then add the beef and brown on all sides.

Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for at least 1 hour, adding more stock or water as necessary and serve the contents hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serves 6

Rhubarb Sauce

This one reminds me of my grandma. She used to serve it with corn bread and sausage on one of those simple, comfort food nights.

4 cups diced rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (to taste)
1/2 cup maple syrup (to taste)

In a medium stockpot, cook the rhubarb, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb has broken down. Add the maple syrup to taste and serve.

Makes 2 cups

Cornbread

1 cup yellow or white stone-ground corn meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat the oven to 425°. Grease a cast iron skillet or 9 x 9-inch baking pan. Stir the corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the eggs into the well and stir lightly with wooden spoon; then add the buttermilk and milk. Stir quickly until almost combined. Add the melted butter and stir until the ingredients are just combined. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake until the top is golden brown and lightly cracked and the edges have pulled away from side of the pan, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for around 5-10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm. Alternately, cool in the pan and serve directly from the pan for a more rustic look.

Makes 4-6 servings

Crunchy Sugar Rhubarb Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup large grained sugar like Demerara (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin pans or line with muffin papers. Sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, egg, and milk. Stir until just mixed. Gently fold in the rhubarb; then fill the muffin cups two-thirds full. Top with the Demerara sugar and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans.

Makes 10-12 muffins

Rhubarb Jam

4 cups diced rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, stirring often, until the mixture reads 220° on a candy thermometer.

Transfer to sterilized jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 2 months or freeze for up to 6 months.

Makes 2 cups